Hendrick turns attention to upcoming session
With the elections behind him,
Representative Gordon Hendrick is turning his attention to the
upcoming legislative session. Hendrick said that he was hoping to
become the chair of the Fish, Wildlife and Parks committee, a
committee he served on for two years as vice chair. However, when
he was asked to be the chair of the natural resources committee, he
realized that would be the best place for him to serve.
“I had to think about it a little bit.
Fish, Wildlife and Parks is something I really enjoy, but I came to
the reality of what would be the best way for me to serve my
community and my district. And natural resources is our whole
district,” Hendrick said, “and it was a no brainer for to step in
and say, ‘yeah, I’ll take this.’”
Hendrick said that he believes that an
opportunity has been given to him and he plans to get as much done
as possible.
“For the first time in my four years I
feel we have the ability to help pass great legislation in natural
resources out of committee that will possibly be putting people
back to work,” Hendrick said. “Montana was once called the treasure
state, it’s been quoted that many times, however the treasures we
have, we’ve been unable to tap into them.”
Hendrick will be dealing with all sorts
of issues including water, oil, gas, coal and the timber related
industries. He has already started researching bills that are
coming up for the session.
An important bill coming up is LC700,
which pertains to portable chippers. Hendrick said that the bill
deals with emissions. However, if a portable chipper can be pulled
right up to a site, then the work can be done right there and the
product can be shipped directly where it needs to go, rather than
sending logs to the mill, chipping them up there and then sending
them back out again.
“It has to with environmental such as
emissions,” Hendrick said. “This is a very important bill for the
timber industry, which I feel I have the expertise in.”
Hendrick added that he feels that maybe
both sides will be able to work together to come up with a
solution.
“When we start talking about green
policies and how we need to do everything green, there’s going to
be a cost and that it’s not going to be cheap and both sides need
to realize that and once we’ve come to a conclusion of what will
work for both sides that’s when the job gets done.”
Water is also a very passionate issue
for the state and the committee will deal with water setbacks,
water basins, navigable waters, first right water issues and
seniority rights. Montana is a spread out state and the rural areas
especially have tough issues with water conditions and how things
work.
“The farmers are out there and new
developments are springing up there’s always a fight for water,”
Hendrick said. “People are very passionate about protecting their
rights, which they should be and we as legislators need to be more
in touch with their needs and interests.”
Hendrick said that whatever bill he is
carrying, it’s not about him carrying the bill, but about what the
bill will do in the long run. As well as serving on the natural
resources committee, Hendrick will also sit on the state
administration committee. He was asked to serve as the chair, but
chose to step aside so that someone with more experience and
knowledge could lead. Hendrick said that it’s also important to
give the freshmen, sophomores and juniors a chance to step up and
fill in on a role, as they could potentially be serving in years to
come.
“There’s a time as we as seniors have
to get the freshman, sophomores and juniors up to bat. They might
be the seniors next session… and training all these freshman coming
up will be a job in itself… they come with their own ideas and find
out it’s a team effort. But it’s been fun so far and I really like
it.”
Hendrick said that they have four
months to put the state back on tract. He said it’s a very short
time and it’s going to be a lot of pressure, yet he said that he
knew what he was getting into. Hendrick said he is enthused to be
sitting on the two committees and plans to do the best job
possible.
“In this four months time, I want to
get people back to work. That’s my whole just of this. People want
all these services…all these programs to be paid for and their
demanding more, but the problem is we don’t have a tax base to give
more. If we don’t put people back to work, everything we do there
is a moot point. It really is,” Hendrick said.
Hendrick said he’d like to see the more
land opened up to the state. He said that the best
environmentalists are the loggers as they know that if they don’t
take care of the forest it won’t be there later.
“The time of cut out and run is long
gone and it has been,” Hendrick said. “We need to get back on
track.”
Hendrick said that he wants to
encourage people not to panic and to give “us a chance. We’re going
to try not to disappoint.”
Though he could be looking at around
2,000 bills or more and it’s very “rush, rush, rush,” Hendrick said
that people are welcome to show up if they want. He encouraged them
to follow the session as it unfolds as well.
“I think the people should follow along
this session in all committees and take a look at what’s really
happening and be more involved as citizens,” Hendrick said. “With
today’s technology there’s no reason they can’t be. And be more in
touch with your legislators and senators.”
Even with his last term before him,
Hendrick said he has no plans to slow down.
“I’ve been involved through
everything…I’m not that kind of guy,” Hendrick said. “It’s like my
wife says, all I do is switch gears.”
Hendrick added that his wife, Vicki,
has been his brick through everything and keeps him grounded. He
said that if he starts drifting, she brings him right back.
As for plans when he’s done with his
fourth term, Hendrick said he’d like to focus on creating a
resource center, something he’s already looked into a bit. But
before that, he said his full attention will be on the task that is
at hand, which is to put people in the state of Montana back to
work.